This invention relates generally to safety devices for transport vehicles and, more particularly, is directed to a jacket having a built-in safety harness for releasably restraining a person in a seat of transport vehicle.
The use of seat belts and shoulder straps for releasably restraining a person in the seat of a vehicle are well known, and in fact, are mandated by law for automotive vehicles. A problem, however, with such seat belts and shoulder straps is that they are often not worn by a person because of neglect, uncomfortableness and the like. Such belts are disadvantageous also for the reason that, if there is a sudden impact, the forces applied to the person may result in the belt or strap cutting into the person's body, causing injury.
As a result of these disadvantages, various safety vests or the like have been proposed having safety harnesses connected thereto or built thereinto. An example of one such safety vest can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,716 in which the vest has lower and upper straps secured thereto, the straps being secured to the vehicle seat. Although such a safety vest is more comfortable to a user and provides better protection than the aforementioned seat belts and shoulder straps, that is, since the person's entire chest and shoulder area are properly supported, the degree of flexibility of movement by the person is limited, particularly in side to side turning movements. See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,474. Thus, although these safety vests provide greater security to the user, particularly during high impact forces, they may be relatively uncomfortable during use.
Other safety vests or like devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,063,778 and 4,437,628. However, these devices also suffer from the same deficiencies and, in addition, are generally constructed in a more complex manner.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,218,103 and 4,143,914 disclose analogous systems which may be relevant to the present invention.